Seal-lock



(No Model.)

B. G. BALDWIN.

v SEAL LOOK.

Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

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fwaivifa a 7 mint/nu nil L turn TATES PATENT Enron.

.RANSOM G. BALDlVIN, OF OSKALOOSA, ASSIGNOR OF TVVO-THIRDS TO THOMAS HAMILTON SIMMONS AND CHARLES DALE IVES, BOTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOIVA.

SEAL-LOCK.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,736, dated December 16, 1890.

Application filed October 9, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RANSOM G. BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oskaloosa, in the county of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks for Car- Doors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in stationary car-seals; and it has for its object to provide an improved seal which cannot be tampered with, and which can be readily applied to any car, and in which it is necessary to destroy the seal in order to open the parts connected and sealed thereby, the seals being of such nature as to be inexpensive and yet durable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined in the appended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of a portion of a car-door to which my improvement is applied. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 .2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of one portion of the seal removed and a portion left off. Fig.

4: is a section through the line w w of Fig. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the sealing-strip detached.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates one part of a cardoor,and B the other, or they may be two doors, both movable.

O is ahasp on one part or door, and D is a staple on the other, designed to be locked by padlock or otherwise, as preferred.

D is a casting secured to one door or part and formed with a horizontal arm or portion a, from which, near its edge adjacent to the Serial No. 367,508. (No model.)

inner edge of the door, extends the hooked arm I), as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

E is a casting secured to the adjacent edge of the other door or part, and upon this casting is placed the bracket F, which has a chamber or cavity 0, there being afforded communication with the said chamber or cavity through the opening or slot d, as seen in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. Wvithin the chamber of the bracket F there are confined the springs G, the free ends of which overlap, as shown in Figs. 1,3, and at, their other ends having bearings on and secured to the inclined shoulders e of said chamber, as seen best in Fig. 3. These shoulders incline toward each otherand form a rigid support for the springs at their points of connection therewith, and between these shoulders is the slot for the reception of the elastic strip, as above described.

H is the sealing-strip, of tin, brass, or any other suitable bendable material. It is formed with a longitudinal slotfand at one end bent at an angle of about forty-five degrees, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, and provided with a hole 9, as shown in the latter figure.

In practice, the castings being secured to the adjacent edges of the door, as shown, and the car ready to be sealed, the sealing-strip is passed through the slot or opening d in the bracket F, and the hole in the bent end slipped on over the hooked arm I) and the strip forced home, when the ends of the crossed springs, which yield to the pressure of the strip, fly through the slot of the sealing-strip and prevent its being pulled out. The slot in the sealing-strip'is so arranged relatively to the bracket F that when the strip .is forced home the end of the slotjust extends through the passage-way therefor in the casting, as seen in Fig. 2. One or two bends of the strip will break it off at the end of the slot, and thus allow the doors to be separated. The seal cannot be removed or tampered with without breaking the strip. The slot through which the sealing-strip passes is of such size as to prevent even athin piece of metal being placed therein to push back the springs.

It is.not at all essential that the casting D,

with its hooked arm b,be used in connection with a sealing-strip, as any other desirable and well-known means may be employed that will serve the same purpose without departing from the principle of my invention-as, for instance, an ordinary staple, which would serve the same end and possibly with a much better effect.

In order to adapt the strip for use with a staple or other such device, it is necessary to make it somewhat longer and provide'it with two slots instead of one, as shown in Fig. 5, and when passed through the staple it is bent double and afterward engaged with the spring locking device, as hereinbef ore described.

In order to insure the strip being bent at the proper point to have the two slots register or come on the same line with each other, the

strip is notched, as shown at 7s.

ception of the sealingstrip, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name-in the presence of two witnesses.

RANSOM G. BALD WIN.

lVitn esses:

CHAS. I-I. FOWLER, E. W. B. PHILLIPS.

or opening between the shoulders for the re- 

